18.7.2007 by Lupo.

Spanish Fighter Pilots Admit NATO Purposely Attacks Civilian Targets

June 14, 1999 Articulo 20 (Spain-weekly)
By Jose Luis Morales
(thanks to Bill Blum for finding and sending this to ZNet)

The pilots of Spanish planes who participated in bombing raids against Yugoslavia do not feel like “supermen” nor masters of aerospace. Quite the contrary, they say that our forces play to the tune of music played by the North Americans, and accuse NATO of having honoured with medals the bombing of civilian targets, what they otherwise name “collateral damages”.

Captain Adolfo Luis Martin de la Hoz, who returned to Spain at the end of May after having participated in the bombings from the beginning, an “authentic expert for the dreadful F-18″, the war plane most often used in the war strategy of “scorched land” in the Balkans, is very categoric: “First of all, I want to make it clear that the majority, I say the majority, of my colleagues, even if not all, are against the war in general and against this war of barbarity in particular.”

Martin de la Hoz says that he and his colleagues “are burnt out”.

“A few days ago, there appeared in the papers certain statements of Commander Maches Michavilla, who is now in the air base at Aviano with the pilots who replaced us, in which he said that our main helper in the air was mental and physical health. But I tell you that our worst enemies are our own authorities, the Defence Minister and all his team, the members of the Government, who know nothing about war and go along with it without informing themselves about anything and, what is gravest, who are guilty of lying to the Spanish people through the papers, radio and television, foreign correspondents and press agencies.”

The suspicions that NATO’s repeated bombings of civilian victims and non-military targets are not the result of war “errors”, are confirmed by Captain Martin de la Hoz:

“Several times our colonel protested to NATO chiefs as to why they select targets which are not military targets. They threw him out with curses, saying that we should know that the North Americans would lodge a complaint to the Spanish Army, once through Brussels and again to the Defence Minister. But there is more, and I want to tell it to the whole world: once there was a coded order from the North American military that we should drop anti-personnel bombs over the localities of Prishtine (Pristina) and Nish (Nis). The colonel refused it altogether and, a couple of days later, the transfer order came. But what I say now is nothing compared to what I shall have to say when the time comes.”

The Spanish military denounces that “the Spanish Government not only does not try to inform themselves, but that they also accept the false reports that are edited for them in Aviano, where there is a sort of military press cabinet in the hands of North American generals and functionaries. Ever since we arrived in Italy - the captain goes on - there is no end to humiliations and insults. The only order-givers are the North American generals, and no one else. We are zeroes, just as our replacements are going to be.

But there is still more to that. Here, they say that several operations were directed by Spanish commanders and pilots. Lies over lies. All the missions that we flew, every single one, were planned by high U.S. military authorities. Even more, they were all planned in detail, including attacking planes, targets and type of ammunition that we have to drop. We never directed anything, and our missions were limited to flying over the borders of Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Slovakia (Slovenia?).”

Government’s lies

None of the pilots presently stationed at Aviano, who replaced those who went to the Italian base shortly before the start of war, last March 23, were there with a clear conscience, says the Spanish military.

“It is being written to saturation that the disciplined and patriotic Spanish pilots - according to Minister Eduardo Serra - are concentrating on the complexity of their war missions”.

But we read so many discrepancies, so many lies, that we agreed to not read a single newspaper until we return. Our anger is enormous. The President of the government, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Defence Minister are lying brazenly each time they talk about the war. Some of us are of another opinion and believe that they do not inform themselves, because the North Americans - the White House, the Pentagon, the CIA, the Embassy or military information service, whoever, do not inform them about anything. How should they inform themselves if our own Javier Solana has not informed himself since the war broke out?

Solana is a puppet who has been put there by the Yanquis to do what they tell him he must do. And so he does, standing straight before General Clark when he talks to him, or better said, when he issues him the orders that he has to implement without delay.”

On the subject of manipulation of war information, Captain de la Hoz says that “no one has said anything about the incidents that took place in Aviano, about the disastrous maintenance of Spanish machines, about everything, and about the constant humiliations to which we were subjected from the beginning.

Not that we are cannon fodder. No. We are nothing. About the fatal accidents, the losses suffered without connection to combat, the contempt and the sanctions, not a word. From no one!”

For the wrong selection of targets and humiliations, the Spanish military are ever more certain that there is no alibi.

“We know perfectly well that we are intervening in a conflict - says Martin de la Hoz - which is rejected by the majority of the Spanish people and this is most important for us. But what they do not say in any information, commentary or speech, is that the Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese … that we are there to cover for the North American generals who are wheeling and dealing in the war.

There is no journalist who has the slightest idea what is happening in Yugoslavia. They are destroying the country, bombing it with new weapons, toxic nerve gases, surface mines dropped by parachute, bombs containing uranium, napalm, sterilization chemicals, sprayings to poison the crops and weapons of which even we still do not know anything.

The North Americans are committing there one of the biggest barbarities that can be committed against humanity. Many very bad things will be told in the future about what was happening there because, by the way, judging by what we talked about with the British and German officers, it was designed in order to divide the Europeans and keep us subjected for many decades.

Therefore, Captain Martin de la Hoz is enraged when there is talk about the costs of the war. There should be no doubts, he confirms, that the military detached in Aviano are receiving bonuses which “multiply by five our salary, but not considering the daily expenses and other perquisites. We could say that we should be satisfied with what this war means economically for each one of us, but it is not true, what they give us is chocolate for the parrots.

This war is going to cost the Spaniards more than all the money allocated for culture in the last five years. And, even if now no one says anything because of the elections, it will come in a few months and will be felt in our pockets. Because this brutal Yanqui-only war, no one’s but the Yanquis, is going to be paid by all of us. Be certain that what I say is not to exculpate myself and to intone ‘mea culpa’ for having participated in it, because I will never be able to forget that what was being committed there was one the biggest savageries of history.”
http://www.zmag.org/ZMag/spanishreport.htm

Geschrieben in Geschichte - History, Balkan (Englisch) | Drucken | 1 Kommentar »

18.7.2007 by Lupo.

Judicial co-operation: a must for integration

16/07/2007

Because criminals operate across boundaries, countries in Southeast Europe have to work together in order to bring them to justice. Macedonia and Serbia provided an example recently by collaborating in two major cases.

By Zoran Nikolovski for Southeast European Times in Skopje – 16/07/07

EU and NATO membership depend on judicial co-operation. [SE Times illustration]

Across Southeast Europe, judicial reform and the fight against organised crime are key to integration prospects. Especially because criminal operations cross borders, co-operation among countries is vital. Macedonia and Serbia recently provided noteworthy examples of such co-operation, working together on two high profile criminal cases.

In January, Serbian police arrested Stanislava Cocorovska-Poletan on charges of smuggling nearly 500kg of cocaine into Macedonia. Poletan, who has dual Macedonian-Serbian citizenship, was living in Serbia at the time. After the authorities in Skopje issued an international warrant for her arrest, Serbian police detained her. According to authorities, Poletan has been involved in cigarette and alcohol smuggling since the Milosevic era.

In June 2006, police in Belgrade arrested Metodija Smilenski, a businessman suspected of fraud and irregularities that caused damages amounting to 50m euros. Smilenski, who has dual Macedonian and Austrian citizenship, was apprehended during a routine check. A day before the one-year deadline for extradition expired, Smilenski was handed over to the Macedonian authorities. The Macedonian Prosecutor’s Office expects that Smilenski’s statements may open up leads to current and former high level officials who were involved as protectors or partners in his dealings.

Officials say such judicial co-operation sends a powerful message to criminals, warning that they will no longer be able to seek protection by slipping across a frontier, and that their behaviour will not be tolerated – in any country.

Due to co-operation among institutions and authorities, all those who have committed criminal acts will be held accountable for their crimes, Macedonian Justice Minister Mihajlo Manevski recently vowed.

The recent momentum towards co-operation can be attributed to the countries’ EU and NATO membership bids. Membership in the two international organizations is conditioned on establishing an independent judiciary sectors and mounting an efficient fight against crime. A weak judiciary and lack of regional and bilateral co-operation makes fighting organised crime impossible.

“Macedonia and Serbia-Montenegro, as well as other countries in the region, have no other alternative except the already existing regional coalition to counter criminal undergrounds with much better organisation, compared to the previous period of intergovernmental co-operation,” former Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski said in an interview last year.

Macedonian police transfer Stanislava Cocorovska-Poletan, the alleged organiser of a record cocaine shipment, from a border checkpoint building to a police vehicle on May 10th. [Getty Images]

Many regional leaders have expressed similar viewpoints at meetings held under the auspices of the EU, NATO, the Stability Pact and the European Council.

Last year, a Moscow conference organised by the European Council ended with a pledge to launch a more successful fight against crime – particularly through more effective criminal proceedings. Among the strategies discussed was the creation of a database listing the existing procedures in participant countries related to different types of crime, and formation of a network of contact persons…………….

http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/articles/2007/07/16/reportage-01

Geschrieben in Economy - Wirtschaft, Balkan (Englisch) | Drucken | Keine Kommentare »

18.7.2007 by Lupo.

Culture and Sports: Ancient golden mask unearthed in Bulgaria

18/07/2007

A mask believed to depict a Thracian ruler was one of several artifacts found at a tomb near the southeastern Bulgarian town of Sliven. Also this week: Albania hosts the International Festival of Theatre, and Serbia again wins the Balkan Youth Women Volleyball Championship.

Bulgarian archeologist Georgi Kitov holds an ancient Thracian mask dating from the 4th century BC .It was discovered at the weekend near the village of Topolchene. [Getty Images]

A team of Bulgarian archeologists has discovered a golden mask dating back to the 4th century BC. The artifact, believed to depict a Thracian ruler, was found in a tomb near the town of Sliven in southeastern Bulgaria, about 290km east of Sofia. It is the second golden mask found in Bulgaria in 150 years. Archeologists also unearthed a gold ring, silver, bronze vessels and funerary gifts.

***

The 8th International Festival of Theatre in Butrint, Albania, started on Sunday (July 15th). Troupes from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia are participating. The festival continues for a week under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/roundup/2007/07/18/roundup-cl-03

Geschrieben in Kultur, Balkan | Drucken | Keine Kommentare »

18.7.2007 by Lupo.

Summer festivals under way in Macedonia

18/07/2007

Two towns in Macedonia — Ohrid and Skopje — are again cultural “hot spots” this summer.

By Marina Stojanovska for Southeast European times in Skopje — 18/07/07
photo

The Ukraine National Ballet performs “Spartacus” on July 12th at the opening of the Ohrid Summer festival. [Tomislav Georgiev]

Macedonia is hosting two major cultural festivals this summer — one in the capital, and the other in the country’s tourist mecca, Ohrid. The events provide an opportunity for tourists and residents alike to attend concerts, ballets, plays and shows. They can also take in Ohrid’s magnificent lake views and Skopje’s rich history.

The 47th Ohrid Summer festival opened on July 12th with a performance of Khachaturian’s “Spartacus” by the Ukraine National Ballet. Following tradition, the opening ceremony was held at the Antique Theatre. Austrian President Heinz Fischer and Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader were among the dignitaries who joined the festival’s sponsor, Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski, at the ceremony.

Dozens of pianists, string instrument players, cellists and others from 24 countries will perform at Ohrid, according to festival director Toni Simonovski.

One of the most anticipated events is a concert by US soprano Barbara Hendricks, scheduled for Thursday (July 19th). The programme also includes performances by a famous Spanish guitar quartet, The Romeros, as well as Cypriot-French pianist Cyprien Katsaris. Other international guests include Slovenia’s Pandur Theatre and the Istanbul City Theatre.

The Macedonian National Opera and Ballet will be staging Verdi’s “Rigoletto”, while the National Theatre will be premiering Zlatko Slavenski’s “Solaris”. The Skopje-based Albanian Theatre will also stage a premiere, this one by Stefan Capaliku. Macedonian piano virtuoso Simon Trpceski, who will play a concert with Russia’s Musica Viva under the baton of Alexander Rudin, will close the five week-long festival, which runs through August 20th.

…………………..

http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2007/07/18/feature-02

Geschrieben in Kultur | Drucken | Keine Kommentare »

18.7.2007 by admin.

Exilia: The Blogging Teenager Who Dispeled Myths about Bulgaria’s Turks

17 07 2007  Ethnic Turkish girl is using the net to tell her fellow countrymen what life is like on the bridge between two different cultures.

By Krasimir Krumov in Shumen

“I have learned that if I suffer from being different, I won’t accomplish anything,” Nazmie writes in one of her blog posts, signed with the name Exilia.

“I have began discovering there can a be good side to this. I know an additional language, two cultures up close and am always somewhere in the middle,” she adds.

Nazmie Halim is 18 and lives in Kaspichan, a small town in north-eastern Bulgaria. As her name suggests, she belongs to Bulgaria’s sizable Turkish minority. But in her blog, where she writes about teenage love angst, friendships, and disappointments, she writes under the name Exilia, which she feels suits her.

As a member of the younger generation of Bulgarian Turks, Nazmie has inherited her family’s and her community’s collective history.
At the same time, as her blog points out, she inhabits an in-between-space between two languages, religions and cultures; between two countries even. Her blog is one way to maneuver through that space.

While she doesn’t remember the traumatic forced assimilation campaigns of the 19870s and 1980s and the mass exodus they prompted, Nazmie is aware of her own family’s experience.

According to the last census from 2001, 746,664 people, or nearly 10 per cent of Bulgaria’s population, identify themselves as ethnic Turks. Altogether, about 12 per cent of the population declared themselves as Muslims.

The Shumen district, where Kaspichan is located, is an area where many Turks are concentrated. The 2001 census said nearly 30 per cent of its inhabitants identified themselves as ethnic Turks and 35 per cent as Muslims.

Between the early Seventies and mid-Eighties, ethnic Turks here felt the full force of the so-called “Vuzroditelen”, or revival, process. The term refers to the policy of forced integration, most notably through having to change their Turkish names into Bulgarian ones.

This was followed in 1989 by the “Great Excursion”, the ironic name given to the exodus of around 370,000 ethnic Turks from Bulgaria, after the Sofia government suddenly opened the border with Turkey and “liberalized” the visa regime for Bulgarians wanting to leave.

Around 155,000 of those who left eventually returned after the fall of the communist regime. And by 1991, the more than 600,000 remaining Bulgarian Turks had all reverted to their old Turkish names…….

http://www.birn.eu.com/en/93/10/3618/ 

Geschrieben in Geschichte - History, Balkan (Englisch) | Drucken | Keine Kommentare »